A vehicular glovebox is typically formed within a cavity that is in turn formed as part of a dashboard or instrument panel. In one form, the glovebox is a modular assembly made up of a storage compartment, downward pivoting door with latch or related locking feature. In one common approach, the assembly includes a glovebox plate positioned adjacent a glovebox door to form a frame-like structure to which the storage compartment, door or other components making up the module may be secured to the dashboard or other vehicular support structure. Numerous retention posts extend along the vehicular longitudinal direction to act as fasteners to permit snap-fit connection of the module to a corresponding slot, aperture or related opening that is formed in or on such support structure that is within—or forms a part of—the dashboard. Such snap-fit connectivity promotes the installation of the glovebox assembly as a modular unit.
Because the glovebox module is often one of the larger items being mounted to or within the dashboard, its installation at the time of vehicle manufacture requires special care. Moreover, because this module is situated within the dashboard in close proximity to damage-intolerant components or systems such as electrical wiring harnesses, airbags or the like, it becomes incumbent upon the assembly personnel to ensure that the procedure associated with the glovebox module installation takes place as precisely as possible to ensure proper operation of these close-tolerance systems. Unfortunately, such precision hampers the efficiency with which vehicle assembly takes place on an assembly line within a conventional vehicle production facility.
Significantly, the longitudinal installation of a conventional glovebox module is such that retention posts are oriented in order to join the glovebox module and the vehicular support structure along the longitudinal direction of the posts. As such, proper installation depends on having the installation angle of all of the retention posts be parallel to one another. Moreover, the installation direction of the glovebox module is typically set based on the installation direction an uppermost retention post or posts, as these are closer to an installer's line of sight. This is problematic in that the openings formed in the vehicular support structure for receipt of other retention posts are frequently aligned at an off-angle direction relative to the installation direction of these other posts, which in turn necessitates that the installer manipulate the glovebox module through repeated rotation, back-and-forth wiggling and other significant fine-tuning adjustments to ensure the efficacy of the snap-fit connectivity between all of the retention posts and the companion surfaces of the joined support structure. Because this support structure is a highly-integrated component with connection to numerous other vehicular systems and components, any attempt to accommodate all of the posts of the glovebox module by reorienting the openings or related mounting features in the support structure would necessitate a costly redesign that is not viable.